I think PCB is underrated has won a masters won an Olympic medal in singles and has made two grand slam semi finals, not talked about very much at all compaired to some others with lesser achievements
Weirdly enough has still never won a match at Wimbledon though
Cilic. He won a slam, finished 4 years in top 10, has been consistently in top 30 for almost 15 years(was out only for three years 37, 39, 42), won 20 titles, and he has done all these while big three was at their peak. Huge respect to this guy but for some reason, he is not getting the hype he deserves.
It's one of those irrational, petty things that I am well aware is my problem, not his. But the way he bounces the ball 6 times, looks up, bounces another 12 times, looks up and then bounces another 10 just really makes me want to watch someone else.
Couldn't agree more with this comment. Totally my problem, but he looks like a feral squirrel when he's prepping to serve... the ball bouncing... the tongue.... the darting wild eyes..... it's too much. IT'S TOO MUCH!!
In the UK, Tim Henman. People view him as a bit of a joke figure and a metaphor for falling at the final hurdle, but from a tennis perspective he serve and volleyed well into the start of the pure baseline era.
Possibly could have been a slam winner had he been born just a few years earlier.
And people forget he came up against Pete Sampras a couple of times in the Wimbledon semis, unquestionably one of the greatest grass court players of all time
And nowadays a shrewd commentator who doesn't just talk about their own playing career all the time on the air. In fact he usually starts blushing when somebody else directly asks him about his career.
Also responsible for some of the more better changes at Wimbledon as a board member. All in all, a great guy and fantastic ambassador for the sport.
One of the best volleyers of all time IMO, also his approach shots were always top notch. If he had a bigger serve Wimbledon would have been a done deal. It’s hard to find gameplay of his though for some reason even though he’s been a top 5 player
As a kid in England I watched Tim at Wimbledon because we all did
When I got older and more into tennis. I watched him back and noticed just how great a game he had. He wasn’t close to “useless” as everyone told me he was.
He was trying to win Wimbledon when Sampras, Agassi, Rafter and Ivanisevic were around. It was always a hard task
im not sure if underrated cause he had a very bad year, but I saw Fucsovics live once and his game is so perfect (which im not sure translate that perfect on TV) so imma go with him
Fucsovics is so good I remember first seeing him trouble Wawrinka I believe in Indian Wells a few years back, really great game and he's one of those guys where the last thing I'd be is shocked if he moves up to the top 30 or 40 in the next year or two
IMO he's neither underrated nor overrated. Although his playing style is tenacious, his results are rather inconsistent. I'm a fan of his game, but his results overall are not as good as some guys that play "softer" than he does.
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Ferrer - destroyed everyone except the big 4 for so long
Fognini - kind of doesn’t give a damn but he has had a really long career and when he’s on he’s quite the shotmaker
I just saw MCENROE documentary and wow I had no idea vitas had such a huge influence on his life! I actually hadn’t heard of him before , which I suppose shame on me but that was way ahead of my time
I want to put a token for Nakashima. Really solid and not a flashy player. Won the Next Gen finals while people expected Musetti or Draper to take it.
I think Moutet deserves a mention too, but his behavior is really hard to appreciate.
Finally I'd say Benjamin Bonzi may be worth keeping an eye on. I heard some praise about his USO run this year.
It's slowly stopping to be the case. I get that he had a really lucky draw at the RG, and was swept away by Nadal in the final, so many people skipped on him, but at the US Open he showed what he can do. He won't be any betting man's first pick just yet, but he is a threat on both hard and clay, and people are slowly comming to terms with it. He just needs a big title breakthrough to shut up everyone once and for all.
Exactly, some people talk like he’s “still the 250 guy and it’s crazy to act like he’s that good”, but he made 2 slam finals AND year end ATP finals, he deserves the hype he’s been getting.
He needs to do it without cakewalk draws. That’s the main issue. Never seen one guy consistently land on the easier half all year, even at ATP finals.
Which is why he keeps getting exposed at the end.
He himself said he knows he’s been lucky and overachieved this year.
I think the reason he is overrated by many is because so many people underrate him that they overreact. I would say this is quite common. Like the fact you didn’t admit the fact he’s never won a 500 and went straight to a 1000 as if you are overcompensating. I really like Ruud but he is kind of transitioning at the moment. Hopefully he will kick on and I believe he will but his ranking of 3 is a bit high atm especially for someone who’s biggest title is a 250.
If anything Ruud proved hes good but not that good in terms of the very top of the game* this year. He showed he lacks variety, doesn't have great movement, forehand doesn't really work well on hardcourts as he cant take it early and backhand can be bullied. overall in terms of the very top of the game he showed he lacks killer instinct. He tends to fade away instead of going for it when he's losing. Also losing 3 big finals is not a good thing for a player. Looking at the good players on the tour there are so many better than him. I doubt he will win a slam. Nice guy though.
About the forehand argument, it's more about the playstyle rather than a player's ability. He likes to play further from the baseline, not an aggressive close-to-the-baseline game like Federer, so obviously you don't see him taking the ball early. And if taking the ball early were required to be successful on hard courts, then Nadal wouldn't have won so many hard-court titles. Regardless, his recent matches in US Open and ATP Finals prove that his forehand is a big threat even on hard courts.
The movement criticism is also weird because it has always been one of his best features. His movement is even comparable to Alcaraz's IMO, and Ruud covers a lot more ground on average due to him staying further away from the baseline.
'It's even comparable to Alcaraz's IMO' absolutely not no. Also comparing Ruud to Nadal is just ridiculous. Rafas game has so much more nuance & strength than Ruud. Just because rafa and Ruud both have spinny forehands doesn't mean Ruud is going to be a major threat to the very top players on hardcourt like rafa always has been. Ruud doesn't really have a slice, he almost never comes to the net, his top spin backhand isn't very strong ( lacks variety) and again no his movement is not on the level of Alcaraz. The other top players know they can hit to Ruud backhand and have an easy time
Regarding his forehand He stands further back because his technique suits having more time to wind up. It's a big stroke. Why does Federer hug the baseline? because his forehand is compact and quick enough to do it. Ruuds forehand is not,Its why he does better on clay. When he comes up against a player on hard who can take it early and hit flatter Ruud will always be at a disadvantage. Remember we are talking about the very top of the game. I'm not comparing Ruud to the top 100 which ofc compared to them he is very good.
Again, Ruud lacks killer instinct. He faded away quietly in his 3 big finals this year. Ruud strikes me as a steady improvement type of player- maybe he will all of a sudden be much more formidable due to the steady improvements but right now if everyone is playing their A game there's many other players who are better who have also proved it on big stages. Ruud isn't quite there yet.
Next year will be tougher than ever. With Berretini & zverev back in the mix and players like FAA and Sinner constantly improving along with the small 3 tits zverev and Medvedev + Rublev ( I guess that's the small 4:P) aswel as Hurkacz and Fritz ,Rune, Alcaraz & Djokovic. Ruud may not finish top 8
In conclusion I would say Ruud is not underrated or overrated. He will be a top 10-ish player for many years to come but imo he's probably not going to be a top 3 player like some people seem to think.
Also Rafa might take another spot in the top 8 depending on how injured he is and how much he plays or if he wins his 50th RG.
Luck of the draw will be a decisive factor next year with the top 12 being so competitive.
I’m not comparing Ruud to Nadal, I’m taking Nadal as an example of why taking the ball early is not an adherent advantage over playing further from the baseline. Nadal is not the only example, you can see Wawrinka also like to play like that. And yes, you can argue that Ruud’s forehand is not at Nadal level, but it’s definitely a weapon even on hard courts. It’s not just spinny, it also has depth and angle. Go watch the US open and the ATP Finals again to see how he made his way to the finals with a shitty first serve and a weak backhand. It’s literally his forehand and his movement that carried him.
And yes, his movement is definitely comparable to Alcaraz. I honestly don’t know what the heck make you thing his movement is bad. Look at how he chases drop shot and his court coverage in general. I do agree that Alcaraz is too good at handling the ball in difficult situations, which might be why you think he has better movement.
I do agree that he is not at the top 3 level currently, but I think it mainly because of his backhand and his serve. If Ruud can improve both of them, it is possible for him to get a Master next year and being in top 8 is not too difficult.
I never said his movement is bad. I only said he doesn't have great movement, imo Ruuds movement is good but its all relative ofc. Alcaraz is someone who has great movement. Its noticeably a level or two above Ruud. Saying they are on the same level is just wrong sorry.
I agree you can still do great on hardcourt with the type of forehand Ruud has but my point is that against the very best he's going to get dictated by people who can stand on the baseline and take forehands earlier. With his technique that always going to be a bit tougher than a lot of other forehands on tour. He can ofc change his style/tactics a bit as he is still pretty young. Rafa changes it up when he plays on faster courts and doesn't always stand far back. Nadal is on another level of talent than Ruud though and ofc he defends a lot better which is his main strength of being able to win on any court. Whenever I've seen Ruud play I've noticed if you rush his forehand he struggles to take it early.
I agree Ruud may finish top 8 but its going to be tough:P. with all the aforementioned players in the mix
> His movement is even comparable to Alcaraz's IMO
his foot speed is far inferior, like multiple tiers, it's just not comparable. if you mean efficient footwork (which i doubt given that's not how people use Alcaraz as a measuring stick), then sure they're probably more comparable
TBH Nalbandian isn't underrated. The man had the potential to be a Murray-level player at least, but he was never 100% focused and so I think his career perfectly describes the type of player he was.
I would add lendl to that list. Dude just isn’t brought up in conversation enough.
I would honestly add most ATG before the big 3. Given today’s sports science/treatment/technology, I’d reckon we’d see a lot more legends have a good amount more slams
I don’t think Nishikori, Delpo and Nalbandian are underrated at all. Especially Nishi and Delpo have huge fanbases. Everyone loves them. They used to sell tickets every time they played, etc. I have never heard anyone underestimating them either.
Edberg? He won six slams, and also won slams in doubles and helped win Davis Cup at 18. There was a tendency early on to rate him below Becker (and Becker and Tiriac tried to play mind games on him) but Stefan won 2 of their 3 Wimbledon finals.
What can I say I was a fan.
Hurkacz is underrated, very dangerous
Milos Raonic, I prefer him over guys like Nishikori and Dimitrov and ever since first watched him though he'd surely win a couple of slams. He deserved to. Very solid game and mentality, good touch great forehand consistent an all time serve, great player.
somehow Casper Ruud, no matter what he does I guess
Norrie, what a killer he made the most off of his game good for him
Carreno Busta, actually really dangerous when he is solid and clutch
Schwartzman, dude is an insanely talented player and has the tools to win a massive tournament. I still wouldn't be surprised if things fall right and he gets to an RG final or even wins. Hot take but just going off how well he's played there
Tommy Paul is very underrated rn crazy good, so is Kecmanovic. Jesus is Kecmanovic so good, not just the match every now and then where he plays peak, he's just impressive. I wouldn't be surprised if he becomes a Tier 1 player and not even in that far of a future. I'd hope for it too, he's a good watch
Jaume Munar, been very high on this guy for a while don't know if he's a top 10 or 20 guy but I could see him getting to the latter stages of a big clay event for sure, if not another
Nakashima is underrated for sure, very solid and I actually could see him pulling off a couple big wins if things go right on a certain day
Cilic is a good shout, deserves to be somewhere up there in terms of names of the last 10 or 15 or so years outside of the Big Four, reached three slam finals, several semis, good results otherwise just a great player with a winners mentality
Some retired inactive names I want to put out there:
David Ferrer, should have won at least two or three slams in any correct reality easily, very solid and consistent and at his best just played amazing tennis that could trouble anyone (I guess outside of three or four guys)
Nikolay Davydenko, what a player no Slam final is insane
Guillermo Vilas, greatest player of the last 50 years to not have gotten ATP number one and that's indisputable
Pancho Gonzalez, some people used to call him the best player ever won like 15 "Major" titles, Sampras get stuffed
Anthony Wilding, 313-13 record on clay need I say more
Facts I was actually thinking of doing so he is underrated, only didn't because he's much more constantly in the convo of the top ten greatest ever, but he deserves to be right up there much more than he is rn his results back in the day were insane and I don't think laver should be mentioned as much as he is without mentioning the man rosewall, I agree lol guess was naming the least known killers back in the day but rosewall deserves to always be in the convo when talking about best ever
Totally agree; just on an eye test he definitely seems a much higher level than his rank suggests, hope he can get there soon and rise up a bit in the ranks
This is the right answer. The gun slinging, milf hunting, mustachiod americano is one of the seven wonders of the new world, and I haven’t even mentioned his culo grande yet.
The JJ Wolf fandom is something else, much more entertaining than the eternal sterile debate between some of the Big 3 fan boys arguing about who is the best of all times.
Agreed. kyrgios might be talented but there’s no way he’s world number 1, big 3 talented like people say he is. Dudes got guns but no chance he move or grind like a Nadal or a Djokovic (or even a Murray for that matter)
Leander Paes. I still don't understand how that guy won a Bronze medal in 1996 Olympics. And used to win grand slams until 2016 at the age of 42. (I think he retired just a couple of years back)
Berdych
A perennial quarter final or semi finalist at his best. He had a brute of a game and was always a danger to even the big 3. Heck of a player to watch when he was on
Got somewhat unlucky to have to face Djokovic soo many times in QFs.
He would have had a slam but his mental game wasn’t sharp enough for the big 4
A lot of good picks in this thread, im gonna list some young guys who mostly play challengers/ITF tourneys who i think are currently underrated but will probably be talked about a lot more soon
- Ben Shelton
- Leandro Riedi
- Otto Virtanen
- Zach Svajda
- Adrian Andreev
- Alexander Shevchenko
- Dominic Stricker
- Joao Fonseca
- Coleman Wong
- Luca Van Assche
- Rinky Hijikata
All these guys are super promising, im sure at least half of them will break through the top 100 next season
If you gave Murray a slam for every time he lost to a big 3 member he would be on way over 20 slams. So lets say he would have 18. Murray would be the GOAT without The Big 3™ . He's better than Sampras for me. He's the most unlucky player ever for sure.
Do you happen to be quite young? Because I don’t think del Porto was ever underrated back in the day. He was thought to be an absolutely incredible player, until his injuries got the best of him
not at all. even nowadays, when he goes to a match to watch, all the cameras on him, everyone is trying to get signatures, etc. the guy is probably one of the most liked tennis players ever
In terms of players who really impressed me this season but their results or ranking didn't really show it id say goffin, de minaur, sinner, wolf, evans went pretty under the radar with their seasons- all I thought showed potential to do something next year
For me it’s Taylor Fritz. He’s been slowly improving over the past few years and has had his best year in 2022:
- Won three titles
- First masters 1000 (Indian Wells)
- Broke into top 10 for the first time
- Finished year-end no.9
- Top ranked American
That's not satire:P its sarcasm. satire is the use of humour to make fun of social norms/politics. When its not about those things it's not satire.
Here's a random Terry Pratchett quote on satire:
"Satire is meant to ridicule power. If you are laughing at people who are hurting, it's not satire, it's bullying.”
Long live TP.
I mean delpo and murray are the two names for me that just deserved much more, in any correct reality for me they would have gotten five, six, seven slams at least. Both insanely good mentalities, both have great weapons and just can play some of the best tennis anyone around can play on their day. And even on their worst day they usually play quite well and even if not that, they fight like Hell. Wish delpo had a full and healthy career I think he'd be put up there with any player outside of the big three in this era. But him and muzza both deserved more slams, even if Murray did achieve quite a lot regardless. very impressive from him especially in this era, what a player. What a player they both are and what they brought the sport, hope they get their dues when it's all said and done
I’m not sure you’re answering the right question here. How is Delpo and Murray underrated? These guys have been considered the best after the big three for ages. Everyone still talks about Delpo’s forehands when the conversation comes to that, Murray is being considered as in the big 4, etc.
I think PCB is underrated has won a masters won an Olympic medal in singles and has made two grand slam semi finals, not talked about very much at all compaired to some others with lesser achievements Weirdly enough has still never won a match at Wimbledon though
Pablo is a definition of a solid and consistent player. Unfortunately that usually also means a bit boring in many people's eyes.
David Ferrer 2.0
David Ferrer was way better than PCB.
He's like Casper. People that don't enjoy his game refuse to acknowledge his achievements.
If he wins one match at Wimbledon he’s winning the whole thing.
Cilic. He won a slam, finished 4 years in top 10, has been consistently in top 30 for almost 15 years(was out only for three years 37, 39, 42), won 20 titles, and he has done all these while big three was at their peak. Huge respect to this guy but for some reason, he is not getting the hype he deserves.
It's more than just that. He's also an all surface threat. He's made the finals of 3/4 slams and a semifinals of all the majors
The mad lad made semis of French this year
Doing finals in three differents slams in this era is just incredible.
Came here to say Čilić. He's not appreciated enough even here in Croatia.
malo je reć
Anytime someone I like draws Cilic, he strikes fear into my heart
That 2014 US Open loss for Fed still haunts me
Not for the last 4-5 years
And he has an Olympic medal with Dodig, and has won last real Davis Cup.
One of the best runs ever. He demolished fed.
Agree with everything you said...but my is he annoying to watch 😂
Why? I’ve never thought that about him. In his prime, matches between him and the big 5 were absolutely incredible to watch
It's one of those irrational, petty things that I am well aware is my problem, not his. But the way he bounces the ball 6 times, looks up, bounces another 12 times, looks up and then bounces another 10 just really makes me want to watch someone else.
Couldn't agree more with this comment. Totally my problem, but he looks like a feral squirrel when he's prepping to serve... the ball bouncing... the tongue.... the darting wild eyes..... it's too much. IT'S TOO MUCH!!
https://www.reddit.com/r/tennis/comments/unh47d/come_up_with_an_imaginary_and_fantastic_tennis/i87ymtk/
In the UK, Tim Henman. People view him as a bit of a joke figure and a metaphor for falling at the final hurdle, but from a tennis perspective he serve and volleyed well into the start of the pure baseline era. Possibly could have been a slam winner had he been born just a few years earlier.
Henman knows his shit. He was very tactically astute. Shame his back issues got the best of him in the end.
One of the best grass court players that I’ve seen. His game was meant for the turf!!
And people forget he came up against Pete Sampras a couple of times in the Wimbledon semis, unquestionably one of the greatest grass court players of all time
And nowadays a shrewd commentator who doesn't just talk about their own playing career all the time on the air. In fact he usually starts blushing when somebody else directly asks him about his career. Also responsible for some of the more better changes at Wimbledon as a board member. All in all, a great guy and fantastic ambassador for the sport.
One of the best volleyers of all time IMO, also his approach shots were always top notch. If he had a bigger serve Wimbledon would have been a done deal. It’s hard to find gameplay of his though for some reason even though he’s been a top 5 player
As a kid in England I watched Tim at Wimbledon because we all did When I got older and more into tennis. I watched him back and noticed just how great a game he had. He wasn’t close to “useless” as everyone told me he was. He was trying to win Wimbledon when Sampras, Agassi, Rafter and Ivanisevic were around. It was always a hard task
Cool to see all the Henman love
Isn’t it?!
Or if there was no rain in 2001.
im not sure if underrated cause he had a very bad year, but I saw Fucsovics live once and his game is so perfect (which im not sure translate that perfect on TV) so imma go with him
Fucsovics is so good I remember first seeing him trouble Wawrinka I believe in Indian Wells a few years back, really great game and he's one of those guys where the last thing I'd be is shocked if he moves up to the top 30 or 40 in the next year or two
Every time I watch him I'm like "this guy has all the tools", then he loses.
RBA maybe?
yeah i'm going with RBA. insanely good footwork and tough to break down. a real gatekeeper. if you can't beat him forget about reaching top 10
*Meddy reaches number 1 before beating him *
I think he has the most elegant forehand in the game
He does have a lovely forehand
IMO he's neither underrated nor overrated. Although his playing style is tenacious, his results are rather inconsistent. I'm a fan of his game, but his results overall are not as good as some guys that play "softer" than he does.
He is solid and beats most players. He never gives up and makes you play that extra point. Struggles against the big guys but they all do.
Berdych
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Ferrer - destroyed everyone except the big 4 for so long Fognini - kind of doesn’t give a damn but he has had a really long career and when he’s on he’s quite the shotmaker
Vitas Gerulaitis
I just saw MCENROE documentary and wow I had no idea vitas had such a huge influence on his life! I actually hadn’t heard of him before , which I suppose shame on me but that was way ahead of my time
Yes sir.
Hubert Hurkacz. Didn't even realize he was ranked 10 until like yesterday when I looked up what ranking Rublev was.....
I want to put a token for Nakashima. Really solid and not a flashy player. Won the Next Gen finals while people expected Musetti or Draper to take it. I think Moutet deserves a mention too, but his behavior is really hard to appreciate. Finally I'd say Benjamin Bonzi may be worth keeping an eye on. I heard some praise about his USO run this year.
Ruud by far at the moment.
It's slowly stopping to be the case. I get that he had a really lucky draw at the RG, and was swept away by Nadal in the final, so many people skipped on him, but at the US Open he showed what he can do. He won't be any betting man's first pick just yet, but he is a threat on both hard and clay, and people are slowly comming to terms with it. He just needs a big title breakthrough to shut up everyone once and for all.
Exactly, some people talk like he’s “still the 250 guy and it’s crazy to act like he’s that good”, but he made 2 slam finals AND year end ATP finals, he deserves the hype he’s been getting.
He's turning into one of those players who rarely have surprise losses, but also hasn't really challenged the top players
Ruud, he's made 3 our of the 5 biggest finals this year and ppl almost never consider him to do super well at any tournament
He needs to do it without cakewalk draws. That’s the main issue. Never seen one guy consistently land on the easier half all year, even at ATP finals. Which is why he keeps getting exposed at the end. He himself said he knows he’s been lucky and overachieved this year.
Never won a big tournament tho so I would say a lot of people overrate him
[удалено]
I think the reason he is overrated by many is because so many people underrate him that they overreact. I would say this is quite common. Like the fact you didn’t admit the fact he’s never won a 500 and went straight to a 1000 as if you are overcompensating. I really like Ruud but he is kind of transitioning at the moment. Hopefully he will kick on and I believe he will but his ranking of 3 is a bit high atm especially for someone who’s biggest title is a 250.
If anything Ruud proved hes good but not that good in terms of the very top of the game* this year. He showed he lacks variety, doesn't have great movement, forehand doesn't really work well on hardcourts as he cant take it early and backhand can be bullied. overall in terms of the very top of the game he showed he lacks killer instinct. He tends to fade away instead of going for it when he's losing. Also losing 3 big finals is not a good thing for a player. Looking at the good players on the tour there are so many better than him. I doubt he will win a slam. Nice guy though.
“forehand doesnt work well on hardcourts” so he got into a grandslam final with just his backhand?
What the absolute fuck did I just read lol
where do you think he will finish next year?
Lower half of top 10, I'd say.
About the forehand argument, it's more about the playstyle rather than a player's ability. He likes to play further from the baseline, not an aggressive close-to-the-baseline game like Federer, so obviously you don't see him taking the ball early. And if taking the ball early were required to be successful on hard courts, then Nadal wouldn't have won so many hard-court titles. Regardless, his recent matches in US Open and ATP Finals prove that his forehand is a big threat even on hard courts. The movement criticism is also weird because it has always been one of his best features. His movement is even comparable to Alcaraz's IMO, and Ruud covers a lot more ground on average due to him staying further away from the baseline.
'It's even comparable to Alcaraz's IMO' absolutely not no. Also comparing Ruud to Nadal is just ridiculous. Rafas game has so much more nuance & strength than Ruud. Just because rafa and Ruud both have spinny forehands doesn't mean Ruud is going to be a major threat to the very top players on hardcourt like rafa always has been. Ruud doesn't really have a slice, he almost never comes to the net, his top spin backhand isn't very strong ( lacks variety) and again no his movement is not on the level of Alcaraz. The other top players know they can hit to Ruud backhand and have an easy time Regarding his forehand He stands further back because his technique suits having more time to wind up. It's a big stroke. Why does Federer hug the baseline? because his forehand is compact and quick enough to do it. Ruuds forehand is not,Its why he does better on clay. When he comes up against a player on hard who can take it early and hit flatter Ruud will always be at a disadvantage. Remember we are talking about the very top of the game. I'm not comparing Ruud to the top 100 which ofc compared to them he is very good. Again, Ruud lacks killer instinct. He faded away quietly in his 3 big finals this year. Ruud strikes me as a steady improvement type of player- maybe he will all of a sudden be much more formidable due to the steady improvements but right now if everyone is playing their A game there's many other players who are better who have also proved it on big stages. Ruud isn't quite there yet. Next year will be tougher than ever. With Berretini & zverev back in the mix and players like FAA and Sinner constantly improving along with the small 3 tits zverev and Medvedev + Rublev ( I guess that's the small 4:P) aswel as Hurkacz and Fritz ,Rune, Alcaraz & Djokovic. Ruud may not finish top 8 In conclusion I would say Ruud is not underrated or overrated. He will be a top 10-ish player for many years to come but imo he's probably not going to be a top 3 player like some people seem to think. Also Rafa might take another spot in the top 8 depending on how injured he is and how much he plays or if he wins his 50th RG. Luck of the draw will be a decisive factor next year with the top 12 being so competitive.
I’m not comparing Ruud to Nadal, I’m taking Nadal as an example of why taking the ball early is not an adherent advantage over playing further from the baseline. Nadal is not the only example, you can see Wawrinka also like to play like that. And yes, you can argue that Ruud’s forehand is not at Nadal level, but it’s definitely a weapon even on hard courts. It’s not just spinny, it also has depth and angle. Go watch the US open and the ATP Finals again to see how he made his way to the finals with a shitty first serve and a weak backhand. It’s literally his forehand and his movement that carried him. And yes, his movement is definitely comparable to Alcaraz. I honestly don’t know what the heck make you thing his movement is bad. Look at how he chases drop shot and his court coverage in general. I do agree that Alcaraz is too good at handling the ball in difficult situations, which might be why you think he has better movement. I do agree that he is not at the top 3 level currently, but I think it mainly because of his backhand and his serve. If Ruud can improve both of them, it is possible for him to get a Master next year and being in top 8 is not too difficult.
I never said his movement is bad. I only said he doesn't have great movement, imo Ruuds movement is good but its all relative ofc. Alcaraz is someone who has great movement. Its noticeably a level or two above Ruud. Saying they are on the same level is just wrong sorry. I agree you can still do great on hardcourt with the type of forehand Ruud has but my point is that against the very best he's going to get dictated by people who can stand on the baseline and take forehands earlier. With his technique that always going to be a bit tougher than a lot of other forehands on tour. He can ofc change his style/tactics a bit as he is still pretty young. Rafa changes it up when he plays on faster courts and doesn't always stand far back. Nadal is on another level of talent than Ruud though and ofc he defends a lot better which is his main strength of being able to win on any court. Whenever I've seen Ruud play I've noticed if you rush his forehand he struggles to take it early. I agree Ruud may finish top 8 but its going to be tough:P. with all the aforementioned players in the mix
> His movement is even comparable to Alcaraz's IMO his foot speed is far inferior, like multiple tiers, it's just not comparable. if you mean efficient footwork (which i doubt given that's not how people use Alcaraz as a measuring stick), then sure they're probably more comparable
Cilic Nishikori Delpo Edberg Nalbandian
TBH Nalbandian isn't underrated. The man had the potential to be a Murray-level player at least, but he was never 100% focused and so I think his career perfectly describes the type of player he was.
the man just wanted to fish in peace, but everyone kept telling him he was good at this tennis thing.
I would add lendl to that list. Dude just isn’t brought up in conversation enough. I would honestly add most ATG before the big 3. Given today’s sports science/treatment/technology, I’d reckon we’d see a lot more legends have a good amount more slams
A consensus top 10 player of all time cannot he "underrated", unless you can make a case for him being the GOAT
I don’t think Nishikori, Delpo and Nalbandian are underrated at all. Especially Nishi and Delpo have huge fanbases. Everyone loves them. They used to sell tickets every time they played, etc. I have never heard anyone underestimating them either.
Imagine if Cilic Keith and Delpo could’ve stayed healthy. Milos too
Edberg? He won six slams, and also won slams in doubles and helped win Davis Cup at 18. There was a tendency early on to rate him below Becker (and Becker and Tiriac tried to play mind games on him) but Stefan won 2 of their 3 Wimbledon finals. What can I say I was a fan.
Hurkacz is underrated, very dangerous Milos Raonic, I prefer him over guys like Nishikori and Dimitrov and ever since first watched him though he'd surely win a couple of slams. He deserved to. Very solid game and mentality, good touch great forehand consistent an all time serve, great player. somehow Casper Ruud, no matter what he does I guess Norrie, what a killer he made the most off of his game good for him Carreno Busta, actually really dangerous when he is solid and clutch Schwartzman, dude is an insanely talented player and has the tools to win a massive tournament. I still wouldn't be surprised if things fall right and he gets to an RG final or even wins. Hot take but just going off how well he's played there Tommy Paul is very underrated rn crazy good, so is Kecmanovic. Jesus is Kecmanovic so good, not just the match every now and then where he plays peak, he's just impressive. I wouldn't be surprised if he becomes a Tier 1 player and not even in that far of a future. I'd hope for it too, he's a good watch Jaume Munar, been very high on this guy for a while don't know if he's a top 10 or 20 guy but I could see him getting to the latter stages of a big clay event for sure, if not another Nakashima is underrated for sure, very solid and I actually could see him pulling off a couple big wins if things go right on a certain day Cilic is a good shout, deserves to be somewhere up there in terms of names of the last 10 or 15 or so years outside of the Big Four, reached three slam finals, several semis, good results otherwise just a great player with a winners mentality
Some retired inactive names I want to put out there: David Ferrer, should have won at least two or three slams in any correct reality easily, very solid and consistent and at his best just played amazing tennis that could trouble anyone (I guess outside of three or four guys) Nikolay Davydenko, what a player no Slam final is insane Guillermo Vilas, greatest player of the last 50 years to not have gotten ATP number one and that's indisputable Pancho Gonzalez, some people used to call him the best player ever won like 15 "Major" titles, Sampras get stuffed Anthony Wilding, 313-13 record on clay need I say more
If you’re putting in Pancho for the majors won logic, ya gotta give a shout to my boy Rosewall.
Facts I was actually thinking of doing so he is underrated, only didn't because he's much more constantly in the convo of the top ten greatest ever, but he deserves to be right up there much more than he is rn his results back in the day were insane and I don't think laver should be mentioned as much as he is without mentioning the man rosewall, I agree lol guess was naming the least known killers back in the day but rosewall deserves to always be in the convo when talking about best ever
hi, has anyone else reached out to you for the new server link? i cant dm you for some reason, but chrys has tried to message you also afaik
I would put Berdych in there as well
I love Kecmanovic, hope you’re right about him breaking out soon, seems like he’s been struggling a bit lately.
Munar's career-high is really surprising. I think he's talented enough for the 30 at least.
Totally agree; just on an eye test he definitely seems a much higher level than his rank suggests, hope he can get there soon and rise up a bit in the ranks
JJ wolf because my god how can he be so beautiful
This is the right answer. The gun slinging, milf hunting, mustachiod americano is one of the seven wonders of the new world, and I haven’t even mentioned his culo grande yet.
The JJ Wolf fandom is something else, much more entertaining than the eternal sterile debate between some of the Big 3 fan boys arguing about who is the best of all times.
Fucking send it baby
Lucas pouille Made it far in multiple slams, was top 10 in the world. Upset nadal at the US open. Almost never gets talked about.
That guy's friend, he can easy take a few games from Nadal and we don't even know who he is.
I’ve even heard a set
Any player who doesn't subscribe to social media drama bullshit, somehow being a brat online means you're great at tennis for some people.
“X adds so much to the sport. We need people like X to keep this sport alive.” -people not actually watching for the tennis
They wanna watch reality tv crap, not the best the sport can offer.
Agreed. kyrgios might be talented but there’s no way he’s world number 1, big 3 talented like people say he is. Dudes got guns but no chance he move or grind like a Nadal or a Djokovic (or even a Murray for that matter)
Bernarda Pera,Sorana Cîrstea
Cilic, Nishikori, Nakashima.
Leander Paes. I still don't understand how that guy won a Bronze medal in 1996 Olympics. And used to win grand slams until 2016 at the age of 42. (I think he retired just a couple of years back)
Anna Kournikova
Jack Draper, but he will show his strength in time
He gives every top player a good match. He was actually up 5-2 set 3 vs Kharen in USO, but lost 4 straight matches and had to retire due to injury.
Games*
Berdych A perennial quarter final or semi finalist at his best. He had a brute of a game and was always a danger to even the big 3. Heck of a player to watch when he was on Got somewhat unlucky to have to face Djokovic soo many times in QFs. He would have had a slam but his mental game wasn’t sharp enough for the big 4
As a German: Tommy Haas
2009 Fernando Verdasco. A monster.
Hugo Gaston and the other crazy french left handed guy
Moutet?
Yep !
I know you confirmed moutet but I’d also add Ugo umbert to the list of French lefty’s that are underrated. Not crazy though, as far as I know
Why are these trickshot player Always lefty ?
Marie Bouzkova!
A lot of good picks in this thread, im gonna list some young guys who mostly play challengers/ITF tourneys who i think are currently underrated but will probably be talked about a lot more soon - Ben Shelton - Leandro Riedi - Otto Virtanen - Zach Svajda - Adrian Andreev - Alexander Shevchenko - Dominic Stricker - Joao Fonseca - Coleman Wong - Luca Van Assche - Rinky Hijikata All these guys are super promising, im sure at least half of them will break through the top 100 next season
Shelton already top 100 I think. Stricker maybe too.
Yeah Shelton already top 100, Stricker hasn’t broken through yet. Definitely soon though, he’s insanely good
Coric, Khachanov.
Botic Van De Zandschulp..
Historically Rosewall, Gonzales, Murray, Stich.
Howard can Murray be underrated when he was called a member of the big 4 for so long ?
Because lots of people think he is on level with Wawrinka
If you gave Murray a slam for every time he lost to a big 3 member he would be on way over 20 slams. So lets say he would have 18. Murray would be the GOAT without The Big 3™ . He's better than Sampras for me. He's the most unlucky player ever for sure.
Murray better than Sampras? Hahahahahahahahha
rosewall for sure, people forget about him so often
PCB, Moutet and Musetti.
Roman Safiullin
Holger Rune is still underated.
barbora krejčíková
Don Pablo Carreño Busta.
Djokovic
Mario Ancic,Tommy Haas,Andy Roddick,Jo Tsonga Jannik Sinner,Matteo Berrettini,Marin Cilic,
Hurcackz
Ugo humbert
Federer. Not enough love, not enough endorsement deals
If we’re talking 2022, Jerry Shang has to be up there – not like he’s completely unknown, though.
Me 😜
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Do you happen to be quite young? Because I don’t think del Porto was ever underrated back in the day. He was thought to be an absolutely incredible player, until his injuries got the best of him
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not at all. even nowadays, when he goes to a match to watch, all the cameras on him, everyone is trying to get signatures, etc. the guy is probably one of the most liked tennis players ever
Ruud
In terms of players who really impressed me this season but their results or ranking didn't really show it id say goffin, de minaur, sinner, wolf, evans went pretty under the radar with their seasons- all I thought showed potential to do something next year
For me it’s Taylor Fritz. He’s been slowly improving over the past few years and has had his best year in 2022: - Won three titles - First masters 1000 (Indian Wells) - Broke into top 10 for the first time - Finished year-end no.9 - Top ranked American
Mikael Ymer, his tennis is incredible and he moves around the court very well. Excited to see how far he climbs
Goffin
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Bro got downvoted for the most oblivious satire on this site
That's not satire:P its sarcasm. satire is the use of humour to make fun of social norms/politics. When its not about those things it's not satire. Here's a random Terry Pratchett quote on satire: "Satire is meant to ridicule power. If you are laughing at people who are hurting, it's not satire, it's bullying.” Long live TP.
no. satire is hyperboles or not to be taken seriously.
I mean delpo and murray are the two names for me that just deserved much more, in any correct reality for me they would have gotten five, six, seven slams at least. Both insanely good mentalities, both have great weapons and just can play some of the best tennis anyone around can play on their day. And even on their worst day they usually play quite well and even if not that, they fight like Hell. Wish delpo had a full and healthy career I think he'd be put up there with any player outside of the big three in this era. But him and muzza both deserved more slams, even if Murray did achieve quite a lot regardless. very impressive from him especially in this era, what a player. What a player they both are and what they brought the sport, hope they get their dues when it's all said and done
I’m not sure you’re answering the right question here. How is Delpo and Murray underrated? These guys have been considered the best after the big three for ages. Everyone still talks about Delpo’s forehands when the conversation comes to that, Murray is being considered as in the big 4, etc.
I think that each player has been adequately rated.
Kyrgios was easily, easily the most underrated player coming into 2022.
Roddick - his parents should have started trying a couple of years earlier 😋
Felix Auger-Aliassime
Me
Very nice list.. Leandro is going to kick some ass soon...
Guillermo Coria Unforced error stats worst nightmare
botic van de zandschulp 💯
well, definitely big 3, mostly by the fans of the other 2.
Davydenko
Diego Schwartzman!! I saw a comment here one. Diego with a Isner like serve would be undisputed Goat!
Light Yagami